When it comes to holiday cooking, there’s no place more trusted for discovering hidden gems than Grandma’s recipe tin. We have a feeling these comforting, old-school recipes will become tradition at your Thanksgiving table.
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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
This side dish recipe from food historian and contributing editor Dr. Jessica B. Harris will add a vibrant zing to your Thanksgiving meal. It comes together quickly, so it’s a perfect last-minute addition for some color on your sideboard.
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PHOTO: VICTOR PROTASIO; FOOD STYLING: MELISSA GRAY; PROP STYLING: AUDREY DAVIS
Top Chef winner, restaurateur, and cookbook author Kelsey Barnard Clark shared her great-grandmother’s sweet potato casserole recipe with us. “It actually tastes of sweet potatoes and is speckled with orange throughout—a refreshing contrast to the very sugary, more processed versions that many in the South typically dote on,” says Clark.
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Molly Bolton
Cornbread dressing is just about as old-school as it gets. This recipe from a contributor’s grandmother calls for the addition of shredded chicken for an even more traditional flavor.
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Dane Tashima; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
A lot of Southerner’s remember their grandmothers making a recipe just like this old-school pea salad to use as a topping for collard greens, corn pudding, and butter beans!
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Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Senior Producer Ivy Odom likes to use these crispy cornbread bites as a vehicle for getting a bite of all the good Thanksgiving sides together on her plate. “I like to spoon the perfect bite of green bean casserole, cornbread dressing, turkey, and cranberry sauce on a piece of lacy cornbread and eat it,” she says.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Thanksgiving menus around the country might include gravy, but we’re willing to be that only in the South will you find Giblet Gravy. Though we love a make-ahead gravy recipe as much as the next busy host, this Giblet Gravy recipe should really be prepared on the day you’re going to serve it.
Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Cookbook author and chef Cheryl Day created this pumpkin pie recipe that stands out among the countless other ones our Test Kitchen has developed over the years. This is one time we ask y’all to not save time with a store-bought crust; Cheryl’s Extra-Flaky Crust is legendary.
Credit: Emily Laurae/Southern Living
Of all the corn pudding recipes, we consider this one the queen bee. It’s run in the magazine more than 10 times since it debuted in 1995, and our readers keep coming back to it decade after decade.
Credit: Photographer: Alison Miksch / Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn / Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
Yeast rolls are an essential part of any Southern holiday spread. This recipe is super easy to follow even for novice bakers.
Credit: Iain Bagwell
Glazed carrots are a common Thanksgiving side dish, and if it isn’t at your table yet, it will be the most requested dish for next year. The honey glaze adds a sweetness to the nutty spice from the cinnamon, nutmeg, and more.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This casserole may be your best bet for getting the kids to eat their veggies this holiday. This recipe features a sauce made with whole milk and Cheddar cheese, thickened with a traditional flour-and-butter roux.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
In many Southern households, it ain’t Thanksgiving without a slice of pecan pie. This recipe is a tried-and-true classic that everyone will enjoy this holiday.
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Alison Miksch; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Steal the buttermilk brine method used for fried chicken, and try it with a whole turkey. You’ll find the buttermilk tenderizes the meat beautifully and imparts it with loads of moisture and flavor. Once you try this technique, you’ll never go back to the traditional roasting method.
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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Cheese balls are about as retro as they come, and plenty of people in the South still love this easy, delicious appetizer. This recipe calls for smoked ham and smoked Cheddar for a rich flavor.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
There’s nothing quite as simple yet delicious like a classic deviled egg. This recipe goes back to basics for a quick and easy Thanksgiving appetizer that will be gone once they hit the table.
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Monica Farber / Southern Living
This old-fashioned, Depression-era pie deserves a spot on your Thanksgiving table. Simple enough for novice bakers, this vintage pie will be a treat the grandkids can help prepare.
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Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
If you took a poll of Southern grandmothers, we’re willing to bet that 100 percent of them have a recipe for fluff salad in their collection. Though there are plenty of takes on fluff salad, this version was made for the holidays. Add an homage to Grandma to your table with this retro recipe.
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Alison Miksch, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This take on classic baked mac and cheese is familiar enough for traditionalists but has just enough pizzaz to surprise everyone at your Thanksgiving table. Our Test Kitchen recommends Tennessee’s own Benton’s bacon.
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Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Reminiscent of other Depression-era pies like buttermilk, chess, or egg pie, Transparent Pie hails from the Bluegrass State. For our recipe, we kept the filling simple and classic but added two special toppings that are perfect for a festive Thanksgiving spread— Sugared Cranberries and Whipped Crème Fraîche.
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Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
If you’re looking for a recipe that tastes like Grandma’s table, this Old-School Squash Casserole fits the bill. Some tips from our Test Kitchen for the best consistency? It’s important to get as much liquid out of the squash during the initial cooking process as possible to prevent a watery casserole. When sautéing, stir the squash often to release steam and prevent browning. Straining the squash helps to remove excess water that leaches out of the cooked squash, and it cools the squash before it is added to the casserole.
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Spoon bread has been gracing Southern tables since the late 18th century. “It’s satisfying like cornbread, it’s comforting like custard, and it creates anticipation and delight like an airy soufflé,” writes Nancie McDermott.
Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Unfortunately, the cushaw, a delicate squash found in the Southern and Southwestern parts of the country, is at risk of going extinct. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on a cushaw, roast and puree it to make this distinctive dessert. (Or you can substitute plain canned pumpkin puree for the filling.) Either way, top each slice with our smooth and rich Vanilla Bean Custard Sauce and a few candied pecans.
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Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Persimmons are a fall treat that the folks of North Carolina are lucky enough to harvest. This sweet, slightly spiced pie is topped with a dreamy pecan streusel for intrigue and texture.
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ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; PROP STYLING: KATHLEEN VARNER; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL
Beloved in Louisiana, mirlitons are pale green, pear-shaped squash that have roots in ancient Mayan and Aztec foodways. They risked being wiped out in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, but thanks to passionate residents like Renee Lapeyrolerie, mirlitons have been revitalized in the area.
Possum Pie
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Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
We promise this Arkansas classic contains absolutely no possum. Instead, a thick topping of whipped cream hides layers of chocolate pudding, sweet cream-cheese filling, and a pecan shortbread crust.
Credit: Photographer: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
The official state dessert of Maryland has a history that is as rich as the cake itself. Our recipe hails from Mary Ada Marshall, a resident of Smith Island, who was gracious enough to share her recipe.
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Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Around half of the country’s peanut crop comes from South Georgia, and this peanut-filled pie is an ode to the region. A crunchy, cookie-like peanut butter crust is filled with a creamy, peanut butter-and-sorghum mixture and topped with salty cocktail peanuts for added texture. As if that wasn’t enough, we went ahead and upped the whipped cream game by adding brown sugar, bourbon, and vanilla extract.
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Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
Modern scalloped oysters likely have roots in oyster pie, a traditional Virginia dish that dates back to the 1700s, according to Bernie Herman, a renowned folklorist and professor of Southern studies at UNC Chapel Hill. You need just a few ingredients to put together this buttery, classic casserole.
Credit: Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
As Grandma always said, the proof is in the pudding. This classic take on a true Southern favorite will bring joy to any plate for the holidays. “Some like it warm. Others prefer it as I do: nice and cold,” says cookbook author and recipe developer Rebecca Lang. “The hardest part is waiting for it to fully chill.”
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Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Candied yams are even more old-school than that sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top that your aunt always brings to Thanksgiving. One of the best parts about this side dish is that it only has 20 minutes of hands-on time, and you can assemble the dish up to 3 days in advance. Make the recipe through step 3, store it covered in the refrigerator, then bake it Thanksgiving Day.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Inspired by Chattanooga, Tennessee’s own MoonPies, we created this indulgent dessert with a graham cracker crust, a rich chocolate filling (with a touch of the state’s famous whiskey), and a fluffy marshmallow meringue.
Dining and Cooking